This blog features observations from Randy Turner, a former teacher, newspaper reporter and editor. Send news items or comments to rturner229@hotmail.com

Friday, February 13, 2015

Debbie Fort recommends Martucci for R-8 Board

A posting on the campaign Facebook page of Joplin R-8 Board of Education member Debbie Fort shows support Jennifer Martucci in the upcoming April election for a one-year term on the board.

Since her election to the board in April 2014, Fort has enlightened patrons through her probing questions during the televised board meetings and has provided the dissenting votes on a number of board decisions questioning the fiscal responsibility of those decisions.

Fort wrote the following message on the campaign website:Everybody! I ask that you go and "like" my friend Jennifer Martucci's Facebook page. Jennifer is running for Board of Education and I am confident she will make an excellent addition to the BOE.

She has my support to aid in the vision we all share!

Debbie

The other candidates for the one-year term are Melinda Campbell and Nancy Good.

Please, dear God, no more Bright Futures sycophants on the Joplin BOE, please. Bright Futures is an ineffective placebo. Its proponents offer it up as an elixir to fighting poverty. Meanwhile, youth indicators have only worsened on its watch. This program saps resources that could be otherwise used for evidence-based programming and engages the business community in a way that allows them to eschew the real responsibilities they should shoulder. The program is a farce and I hope that voters support the BOE candidates who question it.

When Joplin was redistricting what elementary schools fed into the three middle schools, Jennifer Martucci was a vocal challenger to the changes. In the process of defending her position she said many things about North Middle School that were egregious and not true. Her comments were charged by emotion. Her comments were irresponsible. I know many educators at North that were offended and enraged by her falsehoods. I do not think Jennifer Martucci will be a good school board member. I will not be voting for her.

Martucci speaks her mind and has strong, well-grounded arguments. Of her opponents, one is utterly unqualified and the other will likely be taken to task in the upcoming release of the school board audit. I would prefer a school board member who is willing to take a clear stand -- even if it isn't politically popular -- rather than one who has mismanagement's blood on their hands.

About Me

I am a former teacher in the Joplin and Diamond, Missouri, school districts. Before entering the teaching field, I spent 22 years as a reporter and editor for various Southwest Missouri newspapers. I have published three novels, Small Town News, Devil's Messenger, and No Child Left Alive, and seven non-fiction books, The Turner Report, Newspaper Days, Silver Lining in a Funnel Cloud, Greed, Corruption, and the Joplin Tornado, 5:41: Stories from the Joplin Tornado, Spirit of Hope: The Year After the Joplin Tornado, Scars from the Tornado and Let Teachers Teach.

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